For many years, there were just 3 “Santas” who ran every Christmas Eve morning in full Santa suits. You may have seen us. Last year, we had around 60 runners join us in all styles of holiday wear as we raised money for the local animal shelter. This year will be our biggest turn out yet and its success is because of YOU! Thank you! You will not only have a great time, but you will be supporting some worthy local charities as well.

Registration begins at 8 am at Carriage Court. Come early so we can check everyone in. Walgreens is providing Santa hats to the first 50 who register. But, even if you don’t get a hat, there are lots of giveaways from our sponsors including running shirts from the YMCA and a $10 coupon for the Hub Bootery. After the event, carolers from the high school’s “Women’s Advance Chorus” will perform and refreshments will be provided by Carriage Court Pizza.

We have added a bake sale! If you are able, please bring an item to sell and those proceeds will benefit local charities as well.

During the walk and run, please be safe and watch your children. The streets will NOT be closed down, but both the walk and run will have a police escort. The run is a very slow pace so we stay together as a group. Besides, it gives us more time to wave at the onlookers! If you need to drop out of the group, please go to the sidewalk and stay off the road.

Again, thanks for the great response and I will see you Christmas Eve morning!

“A Harry Potter Christmas” will be the last of our storytelling series for 2011. My favorite comment from our last event was “My daughter could not stop talking about how much fun she had.” Many people have also told me how much these events have inspired both their kids and themselves to start reading books they had previously overlooked.

If you have yet to see storyteller Grant Fitch perform at our events, you are in for a real treat! Tickets are now on sale in Crown Point at Carriage Court Pizza at 211 S. East St. They are also being sold at the First United Methodist Church at 352 S. Main St., at Homann Karate Do at 1245 E. North St., and online here.

One of my goals in creating this company was to provide entertainment the whole family could enjoy together. This storytelling series is certainly accomplishing that goal! Thanks to all of you who have made these events a success!

Runners come out in all kinds of weather. This event, though, was for runners as well as non-runners. Would the non-runners brave the weather? And what about families? Would they come out to run a spooky night time race in the rain and wind?

Well, the answer to all these questions is “Yes!” Just before the first family showed up, we debated weather or not we should cancel the event. All afternoon, it was cold, windy and rainy. By the time the race was ready to start, the rain was steady and the temperature had dropped.

Still, people came! Runners dressed in costumes and families brought their kids. They searched for clues and found “hidden” pumpkins and even braved crossing the covered bridge “haunted” by a ghoul. They came back to the shelter and solved the puzzle, were awarded prizes and listened to “Haunted Indiana” author Mark Marimen. The audience listened attentively as he related local stories of the ghosts that haunt Reeder Road and The Gypsy Graveyard.

After this, the post-race party was continued back at Carriage Court Pizza where the runners were treated to pizza and refreshments for a job well done.

Despite the bad weather conditions, everyone had a blast and loved the race! To those who came out, THANK YOU! Your enthusiasm made this run a big success! I appreciate your supporting my efforts in creating fun, local community events!

Don’t forget our next run will be the “Santa Run” which is set for Saturday, December 24th at 9:00 am.